Saskatchewan Polytechnic has announced the launch of a new specialty for its Business Diploma program — graduates with the new specialty will have the training to successfully manage the day-to-day operations of a town or municipality.
Sask. Polytech’s School of Business offers its two-year diploma program throughout the province, including in Moose Jaw. The other specialties available to business students are accountancy, financial services, human resources, insurance, management, and marketing.
The new municipal administration specialty will be offered exclusively online.
“Thank you to our partners for their invaluable input into the new municipal administration curriculum for Sask Polytech’s Business diploma students,” said Kirsten Downey, academic chair of the School of Business.
The partners with whom Sask Polytech worked to develop the specialty include the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), the Saskatchewan Association for Rural Municipalities (SARM), the Urban Municipal Administrators' Association of Saskatchewan (UMAAS), the Rural Municipal Administrators' Association (RMAA), the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA), New North - Saskatchewan Association of Northern Communities (SANC), Northern Administrators Association, and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Government Relations.
“(These) contributions have greatly enhanced the quality and effectiveness of the new program,” Downey continued. “This specialty will help prepare graduates for a rewarding and empowering role in local government. Graduates of this program will play a crucial role in ensuring essential services such as water, sanitation, and infrastructure are provided and maintained in municipalities across Canada.”
Key learning outcomes of this specialty include the management of human resources and labour relations in a municipality, applying municipal laws, ordinances, and protocols, developing strategic communications, public utility management, and municipal accounting and risk management.
“Effective rural municipal administration is what keeps Saskatchewan RMs going strong,” said Ray Orb, president of SARM. “The opportunity to provide input for this new municipal administration specialty within the Business diploma program is one we are appreciative of. We are acutely aware of the specific and unique needs of living in, and running, a rural municipality and how this program will bolster the future growth of leaders in rural Saskatchewan.”
Chris Costley, chief administrative officer of the Town of Mossbank, said that the skills required of successful municipal administrators have been increasing.
“Well-prepared administrators are more likely to stay in the profession,” Costley added, “and I’m hopeful this new educational opportunity will help address the administrator shortage, for the good of our communities.”
The specialty has 10 specifically developed courses addressing the job needs of senior government managers and officials. In addition to this credential, rural municipal administrators in Saskatchewan need a Rural ‘Class C’ Certificate from RMAA.
Current Business Diploma students are eligible to start the municipal administration specialty in fall 2023. Business Diploma students who have completed year one or the Business Certificate program are also eligible to start the specialty in fall 2023.
Learn more about Sask Polytech’s Business Diploma at saskpolytech.ca/programs-and-courses/programs/Business-Diploma.aspx.
